The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, spinal stenosis and anterolisthesis. The appellant's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is also found to be related to his service-connected condition. Service connection was denied for an increased rating for residuals of injury to the fourth finger and index finger of the left hand.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the appellant's current spinal condition is more likely than not a direct result of injuries sustained in service, including two separate back injuries during basic training in 1959. The adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected low back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Spinal stenosis and anterolisthesis, Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- May 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0919944
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0919944.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, requires further review due to a duty-to-assist error related to missing VA treatment records and unverified in-service stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities due to a duty to assist error. The effective date for DEA benefits is granted as May 1, 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date remains March 29, 2021, as the earliest date of claim. An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the back disability from March 29, 2021, is also denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability and right leg radiculopathy are granted service connection, but left leg radiculopathy is denied.
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